The BBC series "Rough Justice" was originated in 1980
by TV Producer Peter Hill - who has continued investigating on the Beattie and Steel cases ( among others)
He picked up the work of an eminent British philanthropist Tom Sargant who was the Secretary of the reform.
group called "Justice". Hill also organises the annual Tom Sargant Memorial Lectures.
"Rough Justice" was a pioneering programme. It was awarded several prizes for outstanding journalism. It had secured the release of several persons unjustly convicted. More importantly, the programmes had served to change attitudes in British society about the system of justice. It was a major force in the beginning of the wave of investigations of miscarriage of justice cases on TV in the eighties that eventually secured the release of many innocent people.
Peter Hill was unjustly lambasted by the English Lord Chief Justice Lord Lane - who hoped to end all such investigations. By the end of the decade Lord Lane himself had been forced into retirement - and a new system for dealing with such cases was prepared.
Peter Hill quit the "Rough Justice" programme in 1986 but continues to write articles and research cases - particularly those which suffered so badly at the hands of Lord Chief Justice Lane.
"Rough Justice" still airs occasionally on BBC TV. Miscarriage of justice cases on TV have now become commonplace.
